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Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House) (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Timothy Taylor - Landlord |  | 1 |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | | 4 |
| Westerham - Audit Ale | | 1 |
| Palmers - 200 Premium Ale | | 1 |
| Hogs Back - Tongham TEA (previously T.E.A.) | | 1 |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | | 4 |
| Larkins - Pale |  | 4 |
| Ossett - White Rat |  | 1 |
| Shepherd Neame - Bishops Finger | Not Tried | 0 |
| Leeds - Best | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - DB Number One | Not Tried | 0 |
| Ringwood - Razorback | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sharp's - Sea Fury | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - The Importance Of | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - Pilcrow Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Grandstand Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Wadworth - 6X | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked Ladies | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Westerham - Spirit of Kent XXX Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Palmers - Copper Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Robinsons - Hop & Under | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - Platinum ESB | Not Tried | 0 |
| Shepherd Neame - The Faversham Steam Brewery - Whitstable Bay Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - Aldhurst Original | Not Tried | 0 |
| Adnams - Ghost Ship | Not Tried | 0 |
| Bowland - Pheasant Plucker | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Junction | Not Tried | 0 |
| Brains - SA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tonbridge - Rustic | Not Tried | 0 |
| Greene King - Abbot | Not Tried | 0 |
| Long Man - Long Blonde | Not Tried | 0 |
| Exmoor (now brewed by Hogs Back) - Gold | Not Tried | 0 |
| Downton - Downton Dream | Not Tried | 0 |
| Brew York - Fennec Blonde (was 3.7%) | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
07 Feb 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westerham - Audit Ale | 6.20 | | A heady brew and excellent enough to have a second one without hesitation |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Good but not up to scratch. Overfobbed on pouring and fresh on mouthfeel |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Grandstand Bitter | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked Ladies | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Westerham - Spirit of Kent XXX Pale Ale | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Robinsons - Hop & Under | 4.20 | Not Tried |
30 Jan 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timothy Taylor - Landlord | 4.30 | | No doubt as Landlord should be |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | Pale recipe tweaked I wonder |
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Ringwood - Razorback | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - The Importance Of | 4.20 | Not Tried |
26 Jan 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ossett - White Rat | 4.00 | | Awful. A murky mess. No idea what it was or was supposed to be. Fortunately no off flavours |
| Brains - SA | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | Not Tried | Spot on, fresh on tonight and and very well balanced |
| Leeds - Best | 4.30 | Not Tried |
24 Jan 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Had much better. This had a rather scummy broken yeasty head |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | Good enough |
| Brains - SA | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Exmoor (now brewed by Hogs Back) - Gold | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Brew York - Fennec Blonde (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried |
19 Jan 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | As consistently expected |
| Hogs Back - Tongham TEA (previously T.E.A.) | 4.20 | | Bitterness came through more than the sweetness of old in this brew |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | Good but some sort of twang with Larkins Pale as often experienced |
| Adnams - Ghost Ship | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Bowland - Pheasant Plucker | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Aldhurst Original | 3.50 | Not Tried |
17 Jan 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | Badged as Tally Ho! Ho! Ho! Matt barman insistent that Palmers cellar services on a recent visit insisted this is a slightly different festive brew to Ho! |
| Palmers - 200 Premium Ale | 5.00 | | Unusual to have 200 and Tally Ho! on at same time - good |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Shepherd Neame - The Faversham Steam Brewery - Whitstable Bay Pale Ale | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Aldhurst Original | 3.50 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Platinum ESB | 5.20 | Not Tried |
12 Jan 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | Fine form, no need to drink any other ale here tonight |
| Wadworth - 6X | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Palmers - Copper Ale | 3.70 | Not Tried | Ran out |
| Dorking - Platinum ESB | 5.20 | Not Tried |
05 Jan 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Spot on as expected here |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | Good but had better here and elsewhere |
| Shepherd Neame - Bishops Finger | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - DB Number One | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Sharp's - Sea Fury | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Pilcrow Pale | 4.00 | Not Tried |
20 Dec 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
A total re-run of yesterday, late visit until close and same beers on.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | Top form |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Junction | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - Rustic | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Long Man - Long Blonde | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Downton - Downton Dream | 4.80 | Not Tried |
19 Dec 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Last knockings visit until close. The relaxed kick out time permitted the stacking of 2 pints.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | New cask on tonight |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Junction | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - Rustic | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Long Man - Long Blonde | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Downton - Downton Dream | 4.80 | Not Tried |
About the Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House)
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 5 |
| 268 |
| 141 |
| 19 |
 | 1 |
The pub is found in Addiscombe, Greater London, CR0 7AA.
Small low ceilinged pub close to Addiscombe Tram Stop in Bingham Corner, Lower Addiscombe Road. This pub is a regular outlet for Palmers beers. In November 2012 Palmers awarded the pub a certificate for having sold a total of 1,000,000 pints of Palmers Best Bitter (IPA) exceeding any other of its free trade outlets and in later years further greatly exceeded here and similarly certificated with 1,250,000th in 2019. 6 handpumps dispense the real ales and always at least 2 ciders served by a walk to the ground floor cellar, the latter of late not being real ones however. Beers in the cellar and due to come on are listed on a wallboard. Changed hands in 2016 with slight change of name from Claret Free House to Claret & Ale but little else has changed. 6 handpumps. Regular winner of the local CAMRA branch Borough Pub of the Year award. Local CAMRA branch Pub of the Year 2024.
We have visited this pub 202 times, seen 295 different beers and tried 96 of them.
Postcode: CR0 7AA